Russia's European security initiative should get fair hearing - Merkel
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's European security initiative should be discussed in the OSCE framework, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday.
"President Medvedev and I spoke by telephone last week and we reiterated that we should discuss his initiative on partnership in the security sphere; it should be discussed within the framework of the OSCE," Merkel told reporters in Berlin.
She said the discussion of the Russian proposal "will be invigorated" in the near future.
The Russian draft security European treaty was posted on the president's website November 29, 2009.
However, it has received a lukewarm reaction from the West.
In late February, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton rejected Russia's call for a new European security treaty, saying Europe's security would be strengthened by a closer cooperation between Russia and NATO.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in December NATO was ready to discuss Medvedev's ideas, but there was no need for a new security treaty.
The NATO chief added there are enough documents ensuring Euro-Atlantic security, and that conflicts happen because some countries do not comply with the principles enshrined in these documents.
